A Duster's Choice
by Phoenix-arise
Summary: Natia Brosca was a common duster until she impersonates a warrior, gets thrown in jail and recruited by the Grey Wardens. Flashbacks of Natia's life as a child.
1. Chapter 1

NOTE: I don't own anything. Only the story and Natia all else is owned by bioware. Shout out to the best team of animators and story creators in the world!

Natia Broska

Beraht walked in and Natia's hands immediately tightened into fists. Nothing made her blood boil more than to be face to face with the man who ruined her life. It had been 8 long years since Beraht had approached her with his first job offer. 8 long and hard years, but it felt like yesterday.

Natia was begging in the streets. Again. Same routine day after day. Wake up, get dressed in the same dirty clothes as before, and hit the streets to beg the common folk for money. As a 12 year old with an innocent looking face she tended to bring in more money than others. People didn't like to to see a child in poverty. Not that everyone gave her coin, many thought she deserved her fate, but some people gave her a couple coppers. Not much but it was enough. Well the money should have been enough if her mother didn't drink it all.

That was where he found her, sitting on a corner begging for coin.

"Please Ser," Natia began in her sweetest most childlike voice. "Do you have a couple coppers to spare? I haven't eaten in days."

"Don't bother me duster!" The man said. He was a gruff man, with a Carta look about him. Natia knew she was pressing her luck but she decided to try again.

"I have a sister," Natia said bringing tears to her eyes. "We're both starving."

"I said get away," the man's hand flew and caught Natia in her right cheek. The blow wasn't bone breaking but it would leave a mark. It knocked Natia's teeth together and she tasted the metallic taste of blood.

Now this wasn't the first time Natia had been struck. She was hit daily by her own mother and at least once a week by random strangers. As castless you just sort of got used to it. But today something was different, today Natia had had enough. Natia's heart began to race from the adrenaline of her anger, red crawled in to the edges of her vision, and her body began to act on instinct. Her body drew itself up to her full height, about 4'3" after all she is a young dwarf, her hand drew itself back, her feet ground themselves in the dust, and she punched the older dwarf right in the throat. His only exposed skin. The blow was so effective the dwarf was stunned for a moment gasping for breath. In that split second Natia saw her chance. She had seen his coin purse dangling from his belt, and in her rage her hand flew out and snatched the purse. In the same motion she turned heel and ran.

The man regained his senses just in time to see Natia turn the first corner. Natia sprinted through makeshift stalls and fallen rubble. Over barrels and under broken arches. She dashed through back alleyways and tried to keep out of sight, but every time she looked behind her the carta man was only a few steps back. He was pursuing her like a hound, never letting up. Natia ran through the trickiest route she could think of, crashing obstacles down behind her. As she ran her senses came back to her and she realized what a dumb mistake she had made. _"Stealing from the Carta? I must be crazy,"_ Natia thought. _"Now I have to lose him, or he'll kill me."_ Natia was just vaulting a barrel into a larger street when she felt strong limbs wrap around her midsection.

"Oomph," Natia gasped. "Let go of me." She struggled and kicked as hard as her little legs could.

"Finally," the man gasped out of breath. "What took you so long Jarkin?"

"I was busy," the other man, Jarkin, said nonchalantly. "I saw this great ax at Alimars. I had to do some haggling to get it of course but look. Isn't she a beauty."

"Yeah, yeah whatever," the man said. Natia was still struggling against Jarkin's hold as the man she had robbed turned and fixed his eyes on her.

"You're bat shit crazy duster, you know that?" He said. "Stealing from a carta man, not smart."

"What do you want to do with her Beraht?" Jarkin asked. "Maim her, kill her, throw her in the lava pits? Come on I'm in a hurry here."

Hearing the words made Natia even more afraid and she squirmed faster.

"I don't know," the man, Beraht, said. "What do you think little girl? How would you like to die?"

Natia was freaking out at this point but refused to let her fear show. "I don't care," she exclaimed. "Anything is better than looking at your ugly faces." And with that Natia spit in his eye.

"Ooh, now you're gonna pay," Jarkin said.

Normally Beraht would flay someone for a much smaller offense. But there was something about this girls spunk that caught his attention. First she punched him, then she stole from him, now she spit in his eye as they casually talk about her death. It was this sort of darkspawn may care attitude he was looking for. A person who had nothing to lose and therefore would be willing to do anything. Finally he asked, "What's your name duster?"

Natia was so shocked at the strange question she blurted out, "Natia Broska."

"Well Natia Broska, where did you learn to punch like that?" Beraht asked.

"I don't know Ser," Natia thought about it for a moment. "My body just sort of took over."

Beraht looked towards Jarkin. "Good instincts, fast, nimble, fierce. What do you think Jarkin?" Beraht asked.

"You know I don't care," He replied. "You're the boss."

"Then it's settled," Beraht said.

At this point Natia was so confused she just hung in Jarkin's arms like a dead animal. Why hadn't they killed her? What was settled? Figuring she was going to die anyway Natia spoke up, "What's settled?"

"Meet me by Tapster's Tavern tomorrow," Beraht said. "And bring that reckless spirit. Let's go Jarkin." And with that Jarkin released Natia and both men left, after grabbing the coin purse of course.

Natia was so stunned that she just sat in the dust for a moment. Not only had her life been spared but she'd been offered a job in the Carta. Not officially of course but everyone knew what a meeting with a man of the Carta meant. _Rica is going to flip when she hears about this,_ Natia thought.

With that Natia picked herself up and practically skipped home. Things were finally starting to look up for their family.

That was 8 years ago and since that day Natia had been one of Berahts girls and Rica had been groomed to be a noble hunter.


	2. Chapter 2

Chapter 2

"I can't keep gambling on you forever, precious." Beraht said.

Rica's face fell, "Please, Beraht. I don't want to do this in front of my sister-"

"Why not," he interrupted. "She knows the slope of the land, don't you girl?"

Natia's hands clenched into fist again, "Didn't I tell you not to talk to my sister that way."

"Stand down duster," Beraht growled. "I don't like you so much that I'll put up with your insolence."

Ever since Beraht united all the smugglers and thieves in Orzammar he no longer put up with Natia's temper like he used to. Before he thought it gave her spirit now it was a nuisance and a threat to his reputation if he allowed her to speak freely. Natia knew she was always on thin ice now but she just couldn't stand to let anyone talk down to her family.

Natia and Beraht yelled back and forth for a few moments. Natia just pushing the boundaries. Till Beraht finally told her to get to work and he left.

Natia looked to Rica. Rica's face was downcast and Natia could see tears forming in her eyes.

"Beraht's an arse," Natia stated. "Don't worry about him."

"I'm just sorry you had to see that," Rica said.

"You don't have to hide anything from me," Natia said while pulling Rica in for a hug.

"I've always tried though," Rice softly sobbed into her younger sister's shoulder. "At least I've kept you from buying your future with what's between your legs."

Natia snorted, "I think the ancestors did that for you. They certainly didn't bless me with stunning looks like yours."

Rica pulled back serious, "Shut up Natia. You're beautiful."

"You have to say that," Natia said. "You're my sister." In truth Natia was pretty. Not drop dead gorgeous of course, that was Rica. But Natia had nice full lips and strawberry blond hair with streaks of her sister's red in it. But she had a fighters body which though it kept her in shape did nothing to give her the bountiful curves of her sister. Her eyes though were the one thing her and her sister shared. They had their father's eyes, a warm beautiful brown. The sort of color that reminded you of cooling lava complete with flecks of lighter brown that made their eyes sparkle. It was Natia's one true vanity, the only thing she like about herself and the only keepsake she had from her father.

Natia left to go find Leske and Rica set to getting herself ready for her newest prospect.

"Hey Salroka," Leske shouted. "About sodding time. I thought I was going to have to bust in and get an eyeful of that sister of yours. Ga-row!"

Natia gave him a playful but withering stare, "Haven't I told you not to talk about my sister that way?"

"Your just jealous," Leske said. "Because you want the majesty of Leske all for yourself, you shameless hussy."

Natia snorted, "Yes. Oh please my lord take me know." In truth it did hurt a little when people talked of Rica that way. It was like a constant reminder that she was the plain one. Not to mention whenever someone disrespected Rica in that way Natia was primed to tear their innards out, but she knew Leske was only playing. Still it hurt.

"Come on duster," Natia said. "What low life deed does Beraht have planned for us today."

The "low life deed" ended up consisting of shaking a merchant down for lyrium, impersonating a warrior in a proving, and getting arrested for said impersonation.


	3. Chapter 3

Chapter 3

When it came out that Natia had impersonated a warrior, and won the Proving she might add, the guards began to surround her. She realized she did not have any choice. Natia took off Everd's helm and threw it on the ground. The crowd gasped a castless and a woman, and she had bested them all. Though woman were warriors not many had ever won a Proving. Natia knew there was nothing she could do. All she could do was stand straight and stare the Proving Master in the eye as she was being dragged away. She would burn the image of herself into his mind forever.

Leske and Natia were hauled off to the prison cells to wait for the Assembly to pass judgment. They weren't there long before there was a commotion outside their room. The guard on duty outside her cell focused on the door to their room. While his attention was on the door Natia picked his pocket and used the keys to open her cell. In one swift move she knocked the guard out and threw the keys to Leske. At that same moment the door to the room burst open and armed men flooded in. Natia didn't know if they were Carta or guards, all she knew was at this moment neither party was on her side.

Natia fought her way through the guards. Evading, punching, kicking, whatever it took to get them away from her. A man with a maul came rushing at her, at the same time a man brandishing a sword came at her from her left. Natia dodged under the swing of the maul and caught the man in the throat with side of her palm, this stunned the man. As the man with the sword stepped into range Natia crouched down and kicked out the mans shins. Besides these men Natia knocked down many more, unfortunately for her she had no weapons and each blow was hard won.

A man swinging double blades came straight on towards Natia. He swung both blades from her left and Natia stepped back to avoid the blow. Suddenly Natia's world went dark.

"Salroka... sod it, duster. Wake up!"

Natia's eyes swam with stars and the blackness began to recede from her vision. "Ughh," Natia moaned her head pounding. She felt her cheek pressed against cold stone and looked up to see bars across her vision.

"Great," Natia drawled. "Another cell."

"You fought like a bleeding archdemon!" Leske exclaimed.

Natia's mouth turned into a small smile, "I just hope I took a few of them down with me."

"OH you did," Leske said. "And they took their appreciation out on me."

Natia smiled quite proud of her little mark. If she had to die soon she would rather go to her grave knowing she'd taken a few of her enemies down with her.


End file.
